Cutting of repetitive depressions in roadway surface

Abstract

A machine and method of use to form Sonic Noise Alert Pattern (SNAP) type depressions in the surface of an asphalt road in a series to line the edge or center of a road. The machine installs a plurality of depressions in a group during a single cutting procedure. A repetition of these cutting procedures results in the desired series being formed. The machine has a single rotary type milling head with spaced sets of bits which will engage the surface of the road. Only where the spaced sets contact the surface will the cutting action be performed. From a stationary position an initial plunge cut brings the rotary cutting head in contact with the surface. Then a lateral movement of the rotary cutting head results in elongating and forming the desired sized depressions. Then the rotary cutting head is raised, the machine is advanced and the prior steps are repeated in repetition until the desired number of depressions have been formed.

We claim: 
     
       1. A machine for cutting a group of depressions, in a cutting procedure, to form a series of depressions in an asphalt road surface, from a repetition of the cutting procedures, the resulting depressions each having a predetermined width, the width measured along the alignment of depressions, a predetermined length, the length measured relatively perpendicular to the edge of the asphalt surface, a predetermined depth, the depth measured from the prevailing surface of the asphalt road to the deepest point of the resulting depression, the resulting depressions having a predetermined spacing between adjacent depressions, the machine comprising; a) a self propelled vehicle, the vehicle comprising power take off means for supplying power to other equipment, directional control means to guide the vehicle along a desired course, the vehicle having a forward direction of travel;   b) a cutting head assembly comprising a rotary cutting head, the rotary cutting head having a predetermined length, the rotary cutting head movably attached to the self propelled vehicle and relatively aligned with the forward direction of travel of the vehicle, the rotary cutting head having a plurality of cutting members in a predetermined spaced pattern forming a cutting diameter, the cutting members forming a plurality of similarly dimensioned cutting groups, the cutting groups having perimeters, the perimeters being spaced one from another, the cutting groups each having a length equal to the desired width of the resulting depression, the spacing of the perimeters of each adjacent set of cutting sets being relatively equal to the desired spacing between the resulting depressions, the rotary cutting head deriving power from the power take off means and continually rotating during the cutting operation of the machine;   c) advance means for moving the machine along the forward direction of travel;   d) alignment means for aligning the machine to a relative desired location;   e) pausing means for pausing the movement of the machine at the desired location;   f) elevation adjustment means for adjustment of the altitude of the cutting head assembly to the surface of the asphalt road, the elevation adjustment means comprising the lowering of the cutting head assembly to cause engagement of the surface of the asphalt road by the rotary cutting head, and the raising of the cutting head assembly to cause disengagement from the surface of the asphalt road by the rotary cutting head;   g) lateral movement means for moving the cutting head assembly relatively perpendicular to the forward direction of travel and relatively parallel to the surface of the asphalt road, following the pausing of the advance of the machine, while the rotary cutting head continually engages the surface of the asphalt road, following engagement of the surface of the asphalt road by the cutting head assembly utilizing the elevation adjustment means and prior to the disengagement of the surface of the asphalt road by the cutting head assembly utilizing the elevation adjustment means, the lateral movement means being powered by the power take off means of the self propelled vehicle; whereby a group of depressions are cut in one operation, the machine is advanced, paused and the next group in the series of cuts are made, in a steady repetition of such cuts which are used to form the desired pattern based on the particular specification of the project.     
     
     
       2. The machine defined in claim 1 wherein the power take off means comprise hydraulic power transfer. 
     
     
       3. The machine defined in claim 1 wherein the predetermined width of the resulting depression is approximately seven inches, the predetermined length of the base of the resulting depression is approximately sixteen inches, the predetermined depth of the resulting depression is approximately one half an inch and the predetermined spacing between adjacent depressions of the resulting depressions is approximately five inches. 
     
     
       4. The machine defined in claim 1 wherein the plurality of cutting members of the rotary cutting head comprise eight cutting sets. 
     
     
       5. The machine defined in claim 1 wherein the cutting head assembly is mounted to a location relatively centered along the length of the self propelled vehicle. 
     
     
       6. The machine defined in claim 1 wherein the cutting head assembly is secured to a frontal area of the self propelled vehicle. 
     
     
       7. The method of forming a series of SNAP type depression in an asphalt road surface in a repetition of cutting procedures, each cutting procedure forming a group of depressions, each depression within the group of depressions having a predetermined size, the series of SNAP type depressions forming a desired placement of resulting depressions in an asphalt road surface, the desired placement being relatively parallel to an edge of the asphalt road, the method comprising the following steps; a) providing a cutting machine having a rotary cutting head, the rotary cutting head having a plurality of spaced cutting groups, the rotary cutting head attached to the cutting machine relatively in line with the forward movement of the cutting machine, the rotary cutting head continually rotating during the cutting procedure;   b) aligning the cutting machine relative to the desired alignment of the resulting depressions;   c) pausing the cutting machine at a desired location of placement of one of the groups of the depressions;   d) lowering the rotary cutting head relative to the cutting machine to engage the asphalt road surface and commence cutting the asphalt road surface;   e) moving the rotary cutting head relatively perpendicular to the edge of the asphalt road and relatively parallel to the asphalt road surface, the movement of the rotary cutting head causing a cutting of the surface of the asphalt road surface to form a group of depressions;   f) raising the rotary cutting head relative to the cutting machine to disengage the asphalt road surface and terminate cutting of the asphalt road surface;   g) advancing the cutting machine to the next desired location of placement, the next desired location of placement being forward along the desired placement and immediately beyond the prior group of depressions formed by steps (d), (e) and (f);   h) pausing the cutting machine at the next desired location of placement;   i) continually repeating steps (d), (e), (f), (g) and (h) to form the desired placement of resulting depressions in the surface of the asphalt road until the desired placement of resulting depressions has been achieved.   
     
     
       8. The method defined in claim 7 wherein the predetermined size of each depression within each group of depressions is approximately seven inches wide, approximately sixteen inches length of base, approximately one half an inch deep and with a spacing between adjacent depressions of approximately five inches. 
     
     
       9. The method defined in claim 7 wherein the plurality of spaced cutting groups of the rotary cutting head comprise eight spaced cutting groups. 
     
     
       10. A depression cutting machine for cutting a group of relatively aligned indentations in an asphalt road surface during a cutting procedure, the resulting indentations each having a predetermined width, the width measured along the alignment of indentations, a predetermined length of base, the length of base measured relatively perpendicular to the edge of the asphalt surface, a predetermined depth, the depth measured from the plane formed by the prevailing surface of the asphalt road to the deepest point of the resulting indentation, the resulting indentations having a predetermined spacing between adjacent indentations, the depression cutting machine mountable to a self propelled vehicle, the self propelled vehicle comprising power take off means for supplying power to the depression cutting machine, the self propelled vehicle having directional control means to guide the depression cutting machine along a desired course, the self propelled vehicle having a forward direction of travel, measurement means for accurately measuring travel of the self propelled vehicle relative to a prior stationary position to a derived relative desired location, advancement means for causing movement of the self propelled vehicle along the forward direction of travel, pausing means for pausing the movement of the self propelled vehicle at a desired location, the depression cutting machine comprising; a) a rotary cutting head contained within a cutting head assembly, the rotary cutting head having a predetermined length, the rotary cutting head movably attachable to the self propelled vehicle and in a manner providing orientation relatively aligned with the forward direction of travel of the self propelled vehicle, the rotary cutting head having a plurality of cutting bits in a predetermined spaced pattern forming a cutting diameter, the cutting bits forming a plurality of similarly dimensioned spaced cutting groups, the spaced cutting groups having perimeters, the perimeters being spaced one from another, the spaced cutting groups each having a length equal to the desired width of the resulting indentation, the spacing of the perimeters of each adjacent set of cutting sets being relatively equal to the desired spacing of the resulting indentations, the rotary cutting head deriving power from the power take off means of the self propelled vehicle, the rotary cutting head continually rotating during the cutting operation of the depression cutting machine;   b) height adjustment means for adjustment of the height of the rotary cutting head relatively perpendicular to the surface of the asphalt road, the height adjustment means being powered by the power take off means of the self propelled vehicle, the height adjustment means comprising a lowering action of the rotary cutting head to cause engagement of the surface of the asphalt road, and a raising action of the rotary cutting head to cause disengagement from the surface of the asphalt road during the cutting procedure;   c) lateral movement means for moving the rotary cutting head relatively perpendicular to the forward direction of travel and relatively parallel to the surface of the asphalt road during the cutting procedure, following the pausing of the advance of the self propelled vehicle, while the rotary cutting head continually engages the surface of the asphalt road, following engagement of the surface of the asphalt road utilizing the height adjustment means and prior to the disengagement of the surface of the asphalt road utilizing the height adjustment means, the lateral movement means being powered by the power take off means of the self propelled vehicle; whereby the depression cutting machine would be attached to a self propelled vehicle and would perform, in repetition, a cutting procedure to install a predetermined desired placement of a series of SNAP type depressions.     
     
     
       11. The depression cutting machine defined in claim 10 wherein the power take off means of the self propelled vehicle comprise hydraulic power transfer. 
     
     
       12. The depression cutting machine defined in claim 10 wherein the predetermined width of the resulting indentation is approximately seven inches, the predetermined length of base of the resulting indentation is approximately sixteen inches, the predetermined depth of the resulting indentation is approximately one half an inch, the predetermined spacing between adjacent indentations is approximately five inches. 
     
     
       13. The depression cutting machine defined in claim 10 wherein the plurality of cutting sets of the rotary cutting head comprise eight cutting sets. 
     
     
       14. The depression cutting machine defined in claim 10 wherein the measuring means of the self propelled vehicle comprises a measuring wheel, having markings, attached to the self propelled vehicle.